No more meds and I'm better!

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tryingtorelax

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I have had success - I have a minor episode of reflux in the evening every now and then if I don't eat right and I'll pop a Pepcid Complete which gets rid of it completely.

I had chest pain/cramping and lots of burping in addition to the reflux for 6 months. I tried OTC medications for 2 months before seeing a doc but nothing worked. I was terrified. Doc prescribed Nexium then I switched to Prilosec due to cost. I took those for 3+ months. I had a barium swallow, liver/gallbladder ultrasound and heart EKG & echo which showed nothing was wrong. I was about to schedule an endoscope but decided to go the natural route and see what happened after reading stories on here.

I stopped taking the Prilosec. I took the DGL chewables before every meal, aloe vera juice 2x/day as well as watched what I ate for one month straight.

I switched to decaf - that was a tough one. No more caffeine for me in anything. I couldn't give up coffee completely!

I also decided to try a chiropractor since I had never been to one and figured it was worth a try. I had 4 adjustments in 4 weeks - he said my ribs were pushed in in the center of my back which could have been putting pressure on my digestive system and causing a problem. Who knew!

I'm not sure exactly WHAT cured me but those are the things that I did. Thanks rosebloom again for the inspiration!!! It's definitely worth a shot to try.
 
Tryingtorelax, did your chiropractor mention anything about the vasovagal reflex ?

My reflux started after a weekend of alcohol abuse. I vomited for 3 days then on the next day I ate something that my stomach didn't accept very well. Another 2-3 days vomiting. Initially I only had stomach pains and a couple of months later my reflux started.

I got off omeprazole last saturday and I'm feeling much better though I still have an occasional but manageable heartburn. Anyway, I read a Harvard Med study on the relationship between LES relaxation and the vasovagal nerve which in turn got me into reading more about the vagal nerve.

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So apparently my trigger (vomiting) is listed. Ever since I dropped the ppi's I feel that my stomach is recovering it's sensitivity. Even though I no longer have stomach pains I get the impression that there might be some unconscious physical/psychological trauma due to the extense and severe vomiting I went through. From time to time I notice that there is a tendency (unconscious) to want to retract and compress the abdomen muscle. This movement is the same as I had when I wanted to relieve my stomach pain in the early stages. This has lead me thinking about the possibility of trauma even though I no longer have any pain. When I get the heartburns maybe it is my LES relaxing due to this. I read in another forum about how a person went to a chiropractor due to a vasovagal reaction (fainting) and got it worked out.

Next week I have an appointment with an acupuncturist who is also a traumatologist and will ask about this. Chiropractor could be a plan B if it doesn't work out.

Please keep me posted on your condition.

Thanks!
 
Hi Kim B- DGL is chewable licorice tablets - I got the sugarless ones at a health food store.
 
ppijunkie- that is VERY interesting, because along with the reflux I got this cramping in my chest which almost felt like a pinched nerve. I actually see the chiro tomorrow for my neck and will ask him! Strangely enough, the reflux and cramping came back after I wrote this - for 5 days then magically went away again. Makes no sense. Thanks!
 
Hey tryingtorelax,

When you reflux do you cough or swallow saliva ? Did your neck/jaw/shoulder muscles tense up more than usual ?

It's funny because some people experience these symptoms that trigger the vagus nerve. It seems like a loop with no end. Reflux -> pain in esopagus/throat -> swallow/cough -> trigger vagus nerve -> LES relaxation -> reflux.

I don't know if this might be correct as I'm a total layman but my reading so far has led me to this logic.

Did you get an answer from your chiropractor on the vagus nerve ?
 
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